JP6931497B2 - Underwater exploration equipment and topographic exploration system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a technique for bottom exploration using a fish finder.

In the current exploration of the topographical shape of the bottom of water such as the sea, lakes and ponds (hereinafter sometimes referred to as bottom exploration), ultrasonic sensors are mounted on ships such as water boats for rowing or screwing. The ultrasonic sensor is being explored while being moved using the above as a propulsive force (Patent Document 1).

Further, Patent Document 2 aims to provide a fish finder capable of measuring a highly accurate water depth value, and the water depth value (from the sea surface to the sea floor) measured by the fish finder by the previous emission wave of ultrasonic waves. A configuration for storing the distance to, generally the distance from the water surface to the bottom of the water) is disclosed.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-250766 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 08-029530

However, when a fish finder is used to search the bottom of the water, the fish finder is mounted on a ship or towed to emit ultrasonic waves into the water at regular intervals in a nearly vertical direction from an object in the water. It is necessary to receive the reflected wave of. In other words, the fishfinder can be said to be a sensor that emits sound waves in a predetermined direction and receives the reflected waves. In addition, as the ship moves, it receives the resistance of water and causes irregular behavior on the ship, or waves are generated on the water surface and are affected by it.
Therefore, when a sensor that functions as a fish finder is used for underwater exploration, it is difficult to emit ultrasonic waves into the water at regular intervals in a nearly vertical direction, and the exploration accuracy in underwater exploration is significantly reduced. be.

In addition, even if the moving speed of the ship is limited to a speed that can suppress the generation of waves, the work cost increases because the equipment and personnel are large and the mobility is reduced in the water bottom exploration using the ship. There is a problem of doing it.

The present invention provides a water bottom exploration device capable of improving the exploration accuracy of water bottom exploration using a sensor that emits sound waves in a predetermined direction and receives the reflected waves, such as a fish finder. Is the main purpose. In addition, a topographical exploration system having this is provided.

The present invention is a water bottom exploration device for exploring the shape of the water bottom, and includes a small unmanned aerial vehicle having rotary wings, a sensor that emits sound waves in a predetermined direction and receives the reflected waves, and the sensor. Then, the accommodating means in which a hole for allowing water to flow into the water surface at the time of landing is connected to the accommodating means and the small unmanned aerial vehicle, and the accommodating means is towed by the small unmanned aerial vehicle. When the sensor is accommodated, the accommodating means has an attitude control means for controlling the attitude of the accommodating means, and a predetermined space is formed between the sensor and the inner wall of the accommodating means. It is characterized in that it is formed in such a manner.

According to the present invention, there is provided a water bottom exploration device capable of improving the exploration accuracy of water bottom exploration using a sensor that emits sound waves in a predetermined direction and receives the reflected waves, such as a fish finder. can do. In addition, the speed of movement and labor saving of exploration equipment can be achieved.

The figure for demonstrating an example of the structure of the terrain exploration system which concerns on this embodiment. The figure for demonstrating an example of the conventional method of pulling an ultrasonic sensor by a UAV and performing the underwater exploration. The figure for demonstrating an example of the structure of the bottom exploration apparatus. (A) and (b) are plan views for explaining an example of the structure of a link mechanism. (A), (b), and (c) are diagrams for explaining an example of the configuration of the cup.

Hereinafter, as an example, an embodiment of a topographical exploration system having a water bottom exploration device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
In the present embodiment, a small unmanned aerial vehicle (hereinafter referred to as UAV) having a rotary wing (propeller) and a GPS (Global Positioning System) function has a GPS function which is a kind of fish finder. A case where the device is configured as a water bottom exploration device equipped with an ultrasonic sensor will be described as an example. Further, a case where the system is configured as a topographical exploration system that includes a water bottom exploration device and can continuously perform the exploration of the topographical shape of the ground surface and the exploration of the topographical shape of the water bottom will be described as an example.

[Example of Embodiment]
[Configuration of topographical exploration system]
FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining an example of the configuration of the topographical exploration system according to the present embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 1, it is assumed that there is a topographical grasping area for topographical exploration. Further, the topographical grasping area is assumed to be an area including a surface topographical exploration area and a water bottom topographical exploration area.

In conventional topographical exploration, in the surface topographical exploration area in the topographical grasping area, for example, UAV is used for exploration, and in the water bottom topographical exploration area, for example, an ultrasonic sensor is mounted on a ship or an ultrasonic sensor is pulled. (See the dashed arrow at the top of Fig. 1). In other words, it is not possible to continuously explore the entire terrain grasping area.

On the other hand, the water bottom exploration device 100 according to the present embodiment is a link connecting the UAV main body 101, the housing body 300 (hereinafter referred to as a cup 300) in which the ultrasonic sensor S is housed, and the UAV main body 101 and the cup 300. It is configured to include a mechanism 200. Details of the configuration will be described with reference to FIG. 3, which will be described later.
A topographical exploration system capable of continuously exploring the entire topographical grasping area includes a water bottom exploration device 100 having these configurations.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining an example of a conventional method in which an ultrasonic sensor is towed by a UAV to perform water bottom exploration.
In the conventional method in which a UAV and a sensor are connected via a traction bar and an ultrasonic sensor (sensor) is towed using the UAV to search the bottom of the water, as shown in FIG. 2, the UAV is towed by the ultrasonic sensor. A predetermined tilt angle is generated depending on factors such as the speed and the resistance of water received by the ultrasonic sensor.
Therefore, it can be seen that the ultrasonic sensor is also tilted, and the ultrasonic waves cannot be emitted into the water in the almost vertical direction. That is, the tilt angle is generated and the ultrasonic sensor is tilted, so that the search accuracy in the detection range of the ultrasonic sensor is greatly reduced.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining an example of the configuration of the water bottom exploration device 100.
The water bottom exploration device 100 includes a UAV main body 101, an image pickup monitor 102, a portable information terminal 103, a link mechanism 200, and a cup 300 in which an ultrasonic sensor S is housed.

The UAV main body 101 is a kind of the above-mentioned small unmanned aerial vehicle. The image pickup monitor 102 attached to the UAV main body 101 is a kind of sensor for exploring the topographical shape of the ground surface topographical exploration region. The mobile information terminal 103 attached to the UAV main body 101 is, for example, a smartphone or the like, and is a terminal having a function of recording various information and a communication function. The portable information terminal 103 also functions as a recording means for recording the detection result (search result) of the ultrasonic sensor S.

The ultrasonic sensor S is a kind of the fish finder described above, and is a sensor having a housing formed in a spherical shape. The ultrasonic sensor S has a GPS function.
The ultrasonic sensor S emits a sound wave in a predetermined direction and receives the reflected wave. Further, the ultrasonic sensor S is configured to generate a predetermined buoyancy so as not to be submerged in water at the time of landing, that is, to float on the water surface. The ultrasonic sensor S is also configured so that its center of gravity is located at the lower part (lower part of the sphere). The ultrasonic sensor S is also configured to be capable of transmitting various information including a detection result to the mobile information terminal 103.
As the ultrasonic sensor S according to the present embodiment, for example, a wireless smart fish finder such as Deeper (registered trademark) can be used.

The cup 300 is connected to the UAV main body 101 via the link mechanism 200. After landing on the cup 300, the outside water of the cup can be taken into the inside of the cup. This is because the outside water of the cup is taken into (flows into) the inside of the cup to eliminate the difference in water level between the inside and outside of the cup, and the ultrasonic sensor S is freely floated inside the cup.
As described above, since the ultrasonic sensor S is configured so that its center of gravity is located at the lower part of the sphere, the center of the detection range is always in a predetermined direction (vertical direction, Z-axis direction) in the free floating state. I will turn to it. The details of the configuration will be described later.

As shown in FIG. 3, the link mechanism 200 is a mechanism for controlling the attitude of the cup 300 in a state where the ultrasonic sensor S is housed. Specifically, the posture of the cup 300 is controlled so that the ultrasonic waves emitted by the ultrasonic sensor S can be directed into water and emitted in a substantially vertical direction. The details of the configuration will be described later.

FIG. 4 is a plan view for explaining an example of the configuration of the link mechanism 200.
As shown in FIG. 4A, the link mechanism 200 includes traction bars 200a and 200b, and connection mechanisms (hinge mechanisms) 201 and 202.
The connection mechanism 201 connects the UAV main body 101 and one end of each of the tow bars 200a and 200b. The connection mechanism 201 allows the traction bars 200a and 200b to swing in a predetermined direction relative to the UAV main body 101 (see FIG. 3).

As shown in FIG. 4B, the connection mechanism 202 connects the cup 300 and the other ends of the tow bars 200a and 200b via the pin 202a. The tow bars 200a and 200b are swingable in a predetermined direction relative to the cup 300 via the connection mechanism 202 (see FIG. 3).

The connecting mechanism 202 is also connected to the cup 300 via a pin 202b arranged in a direction orthogonal to the length direction of the pin 202a. The connection mechanism 202 is swingable in a predetermined direction relative to the cup 300 via the pin 202b. This direction is orthogonal to the direction in which the tow bars 200a and 200b swing.
That is, the connection mechanism 202, the pin 202a, and the pin 202b form a gyro mechanism that swingably supports the two orthogonal axes, and the cup 300 can be controlled so as to maintain a predetermined posture. can.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining an example of the configuration of the cup 300.
The cup 300 is formed by opening a part of the upper bottom portion and the lower bottom portion using a material such as a hard transparent resin.
The cup 300 can also accommodate the ultrasonic sensor S, and at the time of accommodation, the cup 300 has a predetermined space (gap, for example, about 5 [mm]) between the outer surface of the ultrasonic sensor S and the inner wall surface of the cup 300. Is formed to a size such that is formed.

As shown in FIG. 5A, the cup 300 has a hole 310, a slit 311 formed radially from the hole 310, and an insertion port 312 for accommodating an ultrasonic sensor S in the cup 300.

The hole 310 is formed in a size such that the ultrasonic sensor S housed in the cup 300 does not fall out of the cup 300. The hole 310 is for allowing water to enter (inflow) into the cup 300 when it lands on the water.
As shown in FIG. 5B, when the outside water of the cup is taken into the inside of the cup after landing, the difference in water level between the inside and outside of the cup disappears, and the ultrasonic sensor S is free inside the cup because of the above-mentioned gap. Float.

The slit 311 promotes the infiltration (inflow) of water into the cup 300 when it lands on the water, and promotes the discharge of the water remaining in the cup when the cup 300 leaves the water surface. It is a thing.
As shown in FIG. 5C, even when the hole 310 is covered by the surface of the ultrasonic sensor S, the water remaining in the cup is discharged through the slit 311. It can be performed. The slit 311 has an effect of increasing the intake efficiency even when the outside water of the cup is taken into the inside of the cup after landing.

By configuring the cup 300 in this way, it is possible to improve the efficiency of water uptake or water discharge, which can contribute to shortening the work time when continuously exploring the entire topographical grasp area. can.
The slits formed radially from the holes may be one or more slits depending on the efficiency of water uptake or water discharge. Further, the slits continuously provided from the hole portion may be formed, or the slits may be formed radially from a position separated by a predetermined distance (for example, about 2 [mm]) from the outer peripheral end of the hole portion. In this case, the allowable range (degree of load capacity) for the weight of the ultrasonic sensor acting on the hole when the cup is separated from the water surface is increased.
Further, one or a plurality of holes may be formed on the side surface of the cup instead of the slit. In this case, the holes formed on the side surface are formed in a size so that the ultrasonic sensor does not fall out of the cup.

As described above, the cup 300 and the link mechanism 200 function as attitude control means for preventing the tilt of the ultrasonic sensor S. For example, it is assumed that the cup 300 is towed by the UAV main body 101 via the link mechanism 200, and the cup 300 receives the resistance force of water and its posture is inclined at an angle. Even in such a case, the posture of the ultrasonic sensor S housed in the cup 300 and freely floating in the cup with water interposed between the cup 300 and the ultrasonic sensor S is a predetermined posture. Will be able to be maintained.

As described above, in the topographical exploration system according to the present embodiment, the topography of the land portion and the topography of the water bottom portion can be continuously explored in one UAV exploration flight.
Further, the water bottom exploration device according to the present embodiment has a link mechanism for controlling the behavior of an ultrasonic sensor used for water bottom exploration. As a result, it is possible to suppress a decrease in exploration accuracy due to the influence of waves or the like as compared with ship towing.

Further, due to the characteristic structure of the container (cup) accommodating the ultrasonic sensor, it is possible to smoothly invade water at the time of landing and drain water at the time of leaving the water surface. Further, by securing the clearance between the inner wall of the cup and the outer peripheral surface of the sensor, the ultrasonic sensor can be stably floated in the cup after landing, so that the detection accuracy can be prevented from deteriorating.

Further, by mounting the portable information terminal on the UAV, the limitation of the transmission distance of the recorded information, which is a constraint condition of the exploration range, is removed, and the flight range of the UAV can be expanded.
Further, in the water bottom exploration, it is possible to realize the construction of a system that can be expressed as a 3D image by conducting a plurality of survey line exploration of the flight by the UAV in parallel and analyzing these data with an advanced information processing device. This makes it easier to grasp the bottom topography.
Further, by equipping the UAV with an image sensor, it is possible to provide a topographical exploration system capable of exploring the topography of the land portion and the bottom of the water in a single survey line exploration flight.

The embodiments described above are for more specific description of the present invention, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to these examples.

100 ... Underwater exploration device, 101 ... UAV main body, 102 ... Imaging monitor, 103 ... Mobile information terminal, 200 ... Link mechanism, 300 ... Cup, S ... Ultrasonic sensor ..

Claims (5)

It is a bottom exploration device that explores the shape of the bottom of the water.
A small unmanned aerial vehicle with rotary wings and
A sensor that emits sound waves in a predetermined direction and receives the reflected waves,
An accommodating means for accommodating the sensor and forming a hole for allowing water to flow into the sensor up to the height of the water surface at the time of landing.
It has an attitude control means that connects the accommodating means and the small unmanned aerial vehicle and controls the attitude of the accommodating means when the accommodating means is towed by the small unmanned aerial vehicle.
The accommodating means is formed so that a predetermined space is formed between the sensor and the inner wall of the accommodating means when the sensor is accommodated.
Underwater exploration device. The sensor is a sensor configured to float on the surface of the water and to have its center of gravity located at the lower part.
The attitude control means comprises at least a gyro mechanism that swingably supports the accommodation means around two orthogonal axes.
The underwater exploration apparatus according to claim 1. The accommodating means is formed including one or a plurality of slits formed radially from the hole.
The underwater exploration apparatus according to claim 1 or 2. It is characterized by having a recording means for recording the information detected by the sensor.
The water bottom exploration apparatus according to claim 1, 2 or 3. A topographical exploration system that explores an area including a surface topographical exploration area and a water bottom topographical exploration area.
A small unmanned aerial vehicle with rotary wings and
An imaging monitor for exploring the topographical shape of the surface topographical exploration area,
A sensor that explores the shape of the bottom of the water bottom topography area, emits sound waves in a predetermined direction, and receives the reflected waves.
The sensor is formed so as to be accommodating, has a hole for allowing water to flow into the water to the height of the water surface at the time of landing, and is between the sensor and the inner wall of the accommodating means when the sensor is accommodated. A storage means formed so as to form a predetermined space, and
An attitude control means that connects the accommodating means and the small unmanned aerial vehicle and controls the attitude of the accommodating means when the accommodating means is towed by the small unmanned aerial vehicle.
It is characterized by having a recording means for recording information detected by the sensor.
Terrain exploration system.

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